Hinata had never known grief like this before. Atsumu, his partner of six years, had passed away suddenly in a tragic accident. The shock of it all had left Hinata feeling numb, and he couldn't seem to find any solace in anything.
But then there was Osamu, Atsumu's identical twin brother. He had been there for Hinata every step of the way, comforting him when he needed it most. They had never been particularly close before, but in their shared pain, they found a connection that was hard to ignore.
As the days turned into weeks, Hinata found himself spending more and more time with Osamu. He loved the way Osamu made him feel, like he wasn't completely alone in the world. But there was something else there too, something that Hinata didn't quite understand.
It wasn't until one night, as they sat together on the couch watching a movie, that Hinata realized what it was. He was falling in love with Osamu.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and he didn't know what to do with it. On the one hand, he felt guilty for even considering the possibility of moving on from Atsumu so soon. But on the other hand, he couldn't deny the way he felt about Osamu.
Hinata mustered up the courage to confess his feelings to Osamu, and to his surprise, Osamu felt the same way. But there was a catch: he didn't want to start a relationship with Hinata just yet.
"I like you, Hinata, I really do," Osamu said, "but I don't want to be your second choice. You're still grieving for Atsumu, and I don't want to be with you just because I look like him."
Hinata felt a pang of guilt wash over him. He hadn't even realized that he was choosing Osamu because of his resemblance to Atsumu. But now that he thought about it, he couldn't deny that it was a factor.
Osamu continued, "I think we should take things slow. Give yourself some time to heal and figure out what you want. And if, after that, you still want to be with me, then we can talk about it."
Hinata knew that Osamu was right. He needed time to process his grief and figure out what he truly wanted. He agreed to take things slow and try not to rush into anything.
Over the next few months, Hinata focused on himself, taking the time to grieve and come to terms with Atsumu's death. He still saw Osamu regularly, but they didn't talk about anything romantic.
It wasn't until almost a year after Atsumu's passing that Hinata felt ready to try again. He reached out to Osamu and told him that he still had feelings for him, and he was ready to explore them.
To his relief, Osamu felt the same way. They started dating slowly, taking things one step at a time. It wasn't always easy, but they were committed to making it work.
As time went on, Hinata realized that he was falling in love with Osamu for who he was, not just because he looked like Atsumu. And while he would always cherish the memories of his time with Atsumu, he was grateful to have found love again with someone who made him happy.
⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰
As Hinata's relationship with Osamu blossomed, he couldn't help but feel guilty for moving on from Atsumu so soon. It didn't help that some of their mutual friends felt the same way.
Hinata had always been close with their group of friends, but now he felt like an outsider. They would make snide remarks about Hinata's relationship with Osamu and even went so far as to accuse him of betraying Atsumu's memory.
Hinata tried to explain that his feelings for Osamu were genuine, that he wasn't trying to replace Atsumu or forget about him. But his friends refused to listen. They were stuck in their own grief and couldn't accept that Hinata was moving forward.
It hurt Hinata deeply to lose his friends, but he knew that he couldn't let their opinions dictate his happiness. He loved Osamu, and he wasn't going to let anyone make him feel guilty for that.
One day, Hinata decided to confront his friends. He invited them over to his apartment and sat them down to talk.
"I know you guys are upset about me dating Osamu," Hinata said, "but I want you to understand that I'm not trying to replace Atsumu. I still love him, and I always will. But I also love Osamu, and he makes me happy. I'm not going to apologize for that."
His friends were quiet for a moment, and then one of them spoke up. "We know that you're not trying to replace Atsumu," she said. "But it's hard for us to see you with his twin brother. It feels like you're trying to hold onto him in some way."
Hinata understood where they were coming from, but he didn't agree. "I'm not trying to hold onto Atsumu," he said. "I'm just trying to find happiness again. And if that means being with Osamu, then I'm okay with that."
It took some time, but eventually, Hinata's friends came around. They realized that Hinata's happiness was more important than their own grief, and they apologized for not being more supportive.
From then on, things were easier for Hinata and Osamu. They were able to enjoy their relationship without the weight of other people's opinions holding them back. They were happy together, and that was all that mattered.
In the end, Hinata knew that Atsumu would have wanted him to be happy. He would have wanted Hinata to find love again, even if it was with his own twin brother. And Hinata was grateful for that knowledge, and for the love that he had found with Osamu.
